Bar feeder

Abstract

To provide a bar feeder capable of securely positioning a non-standard-shaped material coaxially with an axis of a main spindle of a bar machining device and stably feeding the non-standard-shaped material to the bar machining device.SOLUTION: A bar feeder 1 according to the present invention feeds a rod material 8 of a non-standard shaped cross section to a chuck 6 provided on a main spindle 10 of a bar machining device 2, and includes: a guide rail 18 for guiding the non-standard-shaped material 8 in an axial direction CA of the main spindle 10; and a feed arrow 14 for feeding the non-standard-shaped material 8 placed on the guide rail 18 toward the main spindle 10. The guide rail 18 is adjustable vertically and laterally as viewed in the axial direction CA so that an axis C of the non-standard-shaped material 8 can be positioned coaxially with the axis CA of the main spindle 10.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a bar feeder, and more particularly to a bar feeder for feeding a bar having a non-circular cross section to a chuck provided on a main shaft of a bar processing machine. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there has been known a bar feeder that uses a predetermined feed member (such as a so-called feed arrow) to push the rear end of a bar to feed the bar to a main shaft of a fixed-shaft type or movable-shaft type bar processing machine (for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2). Such a conventional bar feeder is configured assuming that the bar is mainly round (bar with a circular cross section) or bar with a polygonal cross section close to round that can easily roll (for example, hexagonal or octagonal bar). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2016-221639 A [Patent Document 2] International Application Publication No. WO2019 / 035179 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] On the other hand, in recent years, in the field of machine parts and the like, there has been a demand to eliminate the wasteful process of cutting round material into bar material with irregular cross sections, and there has been an increase in cases where steel manufacturers, for example, manufacture bar material with irregular cross sections in advance and supply it to processing manufacturers. There is also a demand to directly supply such bar material with irregular cross sections to bar processing machines such as NC lathes in order to manufacture desired machine parts.

[0005] However, the inventors have found that when attempting to feed a bar material with an irregular cross section using a conventional bar material feeder as described above, the irregular shape of the bar material makes it difficult to position the bar material relative to the spindle of the machine tool (processing machine), and also makes it difficult to feed the bar material stably, etc. In other words, in the case of round bar material, the axis is fixed at the center of the cross section, but in the case of bar material with an irregular cross section, the position of the axis varies depending on the cross-sectional shape, and furthermore, problems arise in that protruding parts (for example, corners of irregularly shaped bar material) that are far from the axis are likely to interfere with various parts of the bar material feeder.

[0006] Therefore, the present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and has an object to provide a bar feeder that can reliably position irregular cross-section bar material coaxially with the axis of the main shaft of a bar processing machine, and can stably feed the bar material to the bar processing machine. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a bar feeder that supplies irregular cross-section bar material to a chuck provided on the main spindle of a bar processing machine, and is characterized in that it comprises a rail member on which the irregular cross-section bar material is placed and which guides the irregular cross-section bar material in the axial direction of the main spindle, and a feed member that is provided so as to be movable in the axial direction of the main spindle and which feeds the irregular cross-section bar material placed on the rail member toward the main spindle, and the rail member can be adjusted in the vertical and horizontal directions when viewed in the axial direction so that the axis of the irregular cross-section bar material is positioned coaxially with the axis of the main spindle.

[0008] According to the present invention configured in this manner, the rail member can be adjusted in position in the vertical and horizontal directions so that the axis of the irregular cross-section bar is positioned coaxially with the axis of the main shaft, so that the irregular cross-section bar can be reliably positioned coaxially with the axis of the main shaft of the bar processing machine and can be steadily supplied to the bar processing machine.

[0009] In addition, in the present invention, it is preferable to further include a guide device provided between the rail member and the main shaft for guiding the irregular cross-section bar material fed by the feed member, and the guide device guides the irregular cross-section bar material fed by the feed member through the irregular guide hole.

[0010] According to the present invention configured in this manner, there is further provided a guide device that is provided between the rail member and the main shaft and guides the irregular cross-section bar material fed by the feed member, and the guide device guides the irregular cross-section bar material fed by the feed member through the irregular guide hole, so that the irregular cross-section bar material can be more reliably positioned coaxially with the axis of the main shaft of the bar processing machine and can be stably supplied to the bar processing machine.

[0011] In the present invention, the rail member is preferably formed to guide the bar material having a irregular cross section in the axial direction of the spindle while maintaining the bar material in a constant orientation when viewed in the axial direction. According to the present invention configured in this manner, it is possible to more reliably position irregular cross-section bar material coaxially with the axis of the main shaft of the bar processing machine, and to stably supply it to the bar processing machine.

[0012] In the present invention, the rail member is preferably formed to have a V-shaped cross section that opens upward. According to the present invention configured in this manner, it is possible to more reliably position irregular cross-section bar material coaxially with the axis of the main shaft of the bar processing machine, and to stably supply it to the bar processing machine.

[0013] In the present invention, the rail member formed with a V-shaped cross section preferably has an upward opening angle of 90 to 120 degrees in cross section. According to the present invention thus configured, the opening is at an angle of 90 to 120 degrees upward in cross section. Here, if the V-shaped cross section is shaped to have an opening angle of, for example, 90 degrees upward, then it is possible to stably place irregularly shaped materials, particularly those having a square cross section, a rectangular cross section, or a cross section formed at 90 degrees, on the rail member, and thus it is possible to more reliably position the irregularly shaped bar material coaxially with the axis of the spindle of the bar processing machine, and to stably supply it to the bar processing machine. Also, if the V-shaped cross section is shaped to have an opening angle of, for example, 120 degrees upward, then it is possible to more effectively position the irregularly shaped bar material coaxially with the axis of the spindle of the bar processing machine, and to stably supply it to the bar processing machine.

[0014] In the present invention, the deformed guide hole of the guide device preferably has the same shape as the cross-sectional shape of the bar material having the deformed cross section. According to the present invention configured in this manner, it is possible to more reliably position irregular cross-section bar material coaxially with the axis of the main shaft of the bar processing machine, and to stably supply it to the bar processing machine.

[0015] In the present invention, the guide device preferably has a pair of block members which are configured to be movable between an open position in which they are separated from each other and a closed position in which they approach each other, and when the pair of block members are in the closed position, a deformed guide hole is formed. According to the present invention configured in this manner, for example, when a bar stock is processed and the next bar stock is fed to the spindle, the pair of block members are set in the open position to prevent the tip of the bar stock being fed from colliding with or interfering with the block members, and when the bar stock passes through the guiding device, the pair of block members are set in the closed position to form an irregular guide hole, making it possible to more effectively guide the irregular cross-section bar stock.

[0016] Furthermore, in the present invention, the irregular guide hole of the guiding device preferably has the same shape as the cross-sectional shape of the irregular cross-section bar material, and the irregular guide hole is formed so as to have a predetermined gap (for example, 0.1 mm to 0.8 mm) with respect to each side of the irregular cross-section bar material when the pair of block members are in the closed position. According to the present invention configured as described above, the irregular guide hole does not interfere with the feeding of the irregular cross-section bar, and the irregular cross-section bar can be guided stably. That is, if the gap is less than 0.1 mm, friction occurs between the irregular guide hole and the bar being fed, or the irregular guide hole completely grips the bar and prevents it from being fed. Also, if the gap is more than 0.8 mm, the axis of the bar may be significantly shifted from the desired position, and the bar may not be guided reliably.

[0017] In the present invention, preferably, the pair of block members of the guide device are replaceable, and irregular guide holes having a predetermined gap (for example, 0.1 mm to 0.8 mm) are formed on each side of the bar material having a different cross-sectional shape. According to the present invention configured in this manner, the bar material feeder can be made to feed a variety of types of bar material with irregular cross-sections, and can stably feed any of the various types of bar material with irregular cross-sections to the bar material processing machine.

[0018] In the present invention, the feed member is preferably a feed arrow member that pushes the rear end of the bar having an irregular cross-section and feeds the tip of the bar to the chuck of the spindle, and the bar feeder further includes a slider member that pushes the rear end of the bar having an irregular cross-section and feeds the tip of the bar to the rear end or middle part of the spindle, and the bar feeder feeds the bar having an irregular cross-section by the slider member and then feeds it to the chuck of the spindle by the feed arrow member. According to the present invention configured in this manner, the bar material is fed in two stages using the slider member and the feed arrow member. Therefore, compared to, for example, feeding the bar material using only the feed arrow member, the length of the feed arrow member can be kept to a predetermined value, thereby reducing the space occupied by the bar material feeder.

[0019] In the present invention, preferably, the cutting machine further comprises a guide device provided between the rail member and the spindle for guiding the irregular cross-section bar material fed by the feed member, the guide device having a pair of block members which are configured to be movable between an open position in which they are separated from each other and a closed position in which they approach each other, and when the pair of block members are in the closed position, an irregular guide hole is formed, thereby guiding the irregular cross-section bar material fed by the feed member, the feed member being a feed arrow member which pushes a rear end of the irregular cross-section bar material to feed a front end of the bar material to a chuck of the spindle, The feeder further includes a slider member which pushes the rear end of the irregular cross-section bar and feeds the tip of the bar to the rear end or middle of the spindle. After the bar feeder supplies the irregular cross-section bar to the rail member, it first feeds it using the slider member and then feeds it to the chuck of the spindle using the feed arrow member. When the bar feeder feeds the irregular cross-section bar to the rail member and then feeds it using the slider member, the bar feeder is configured so that after the tip of the detected irregular cross-section bar has moved a predetermined distance, a pair of block members of the guiding device are placed in the closed position, and the predetermined distance can be variably set. According to the present invention configured in this manner, for example, when a bar is processed and the next bar is fed to the spindle, the irregular cross-section bar can be more reliably and effectively positioned coaxially with the axis of the spindle of the bar processing machine, and can be stably supplied to the bar processing machine.

[0020] In addition, in the present invention, preferably, the tip portion of the slider member has a cross-sectional shape that does not interfere with the rail member and abuts against the rear end of the rod material having an irregular cross-section, and the slider member is replaceable to match the cross-sectional shape of the rod material having an irregular cross-section. According to the present invention configured as described above, it is possible to more reliably and effectively supply irregular cross-section bars to the bar processing machine in a stable manner.

[0021] In the present invention, the feed member is preferably a feed arrow member that pushes the rear end of the rod material having an irregular cross-section and feeds the tip end of the rod material to the chuck of the spindle, the chuck of the spindle having a gripping portion having a cross-sectional shape formed identical to that of the rod material having an irregular cross-section, and the feed arrow member has at least a cross-sectional shape of its tip end that is inserted into the gripping portion of the chuck formed identical to that of the rod material having an irregular cross-section. According to the present invention configured in this manner, when a chuck having an irregularly shaped gripping portion is used in a bar processing machine, the bar having an irregular cross-section before processing (before chucking) can be more reliably fed into the chuck, or the bar after processing can be pushed out of the chuck.

[0022] In the present invention, the bar feeder is preferably configured to be interchangeable between a feed arrow member whose tip end portion and / or the cross-sectional shape of the portion to be inserted into the inner tube are formed to be the same as that of a bar having an irregular cross-section, and a feed arrow member whose tip end portion is formed to be circular in cross-section. According to the present invention configured in this manner, the bar material feeder can be made to feed a variety of types of bar material with irregular cross-sections, and can stably feed any of the various types of bar material with irregular cross-sections to the bar material processing machine.

[0023] In addition, in the present invention, the cross-sectional shape of the gripping portion of the chuck of the spindle is preferably formed to be the same as that of the irregular cross-section bar material, and when a reference stop position for the rotation of the spindle is determined in the bar material processing machine, the orientation of the irregular cross-section of the irregular guide hole of the guiding device is determined to match the orientation of the irregular cross-section of the chuck at the reference stop position. According to the present invention configured in this way, for example, when the rotation of the spindle is stopped after a certain processing of a bar is completed and the next bar is fed by the feed member, the bar with an irregular cross section can be fed more reliably to the chuck of the spindle. That is, since the bar has an irregular cross section, the fed bar is likely to interfere (clash) with the chuck, but according to the present invention, when the spindle is stopped (when the bar is replaced), the direction of the irregular cross section of the bar and the direction of the irregular cross section of the chuck are aligned, so that such interference can be suppressed.

[0024] Also, in the present invention, preferably, the spindle is provided with an inner tube having the same internal shape as the bar stock with a special cross section, and when a reference stop position for the rotation of the spindle is determined in the bar stock processing machine, the orientation of the special cross section of the special guide hole of the guiding device is determined to match the orientation of the special cross section of the inner tube at the reference stop position. According to the present invention thus configured, for example, when the rotation of the spindle is stopped after a certain bar has been machined and the next bar is fed by the feed member, the irregular cross-section bar can be fed more reliably to the chuck of the spindle. That is, since the bar has an irregular cross-section, the fed bar is likely to interfere (clash) with the inner tube, but according to the present invention, when the spindle is stopped (when the bar is replaced), the direction of the irregular cross-section of the bar and the direction of the irregular cross-section of the chuck when the spindle is stopped are aligned, so that such interference can be suppressed.

[0025] In addition, in the present invention, it is preferable to provide a bar material transfer device for transferring bar material with an irregular cross-section onto the rail member, the rail member being provided on a rail member holding device which moves the rail member to a predetermined lowered position and a predetermined raised position, and the bar material with an irregular cross-section held by the bar material transfer device is transferred to the rail member holding device which is in the lowered position, and then when the rail member holding device moves to the raised position, it slides under its own weight and is handed over to the rail member. According to the present invention configured in this manner, bar materials having irregular cross sections can be effectively placed on the rail member, unlike bar materials such as round bar materials which roll easily. Effect of the Invention

[0026] According to the bar feeder of the present invention, a bar having a non-circular cross section can be reliably positioned coaxially with the axis of the main shaft of the bar processing machine, and can be stably fed to the bar processing machine. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0027] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic front view of a bar feeder according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic top view of a bar feeder according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a bar material transfer device for a bar material with a irregular cross-section according to the present embodiment, together with a guide rail and a feed arrow. [Figure 4] 4A is a partially enlarged front view seen from the same direction as in FIG. 1, and FIG. 4B is a schematic view seen from the processing machine side, showing the bar guide device according to the present embodiment. [Diagram 5] 5A is a cross-sectional view showing the bar guide device according to the present embodiment together with a non-circular cross-section bar, with a guide block in a closed state, and FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional view showing the guide block in an open state. [Figure 6] 6A is a cross-sectional view of a bar material having a square cross section, similar to FIG. 5, with a guide block in a closed state (FIG. 6A) and with a guide block in an open state (FIG. 6B). [Figure 7] 7A is a cross-sectional view of a bar material having a rectangular cross section, similar to FIG. 5, in which a guide block is in a closed state (FIG. 7A) and a cross-sectional view of the guide block in an open state (FIG. 7B). [Figure 8] 1 is a schematic view showing a left-right position adjustment mechanism for a guide rail according to the present embodiment, as viewed from the processing machine side. FIG. [Figure 9] 9A and 9B are schematic diagrams similar to FIG. 8, showing examples of slide positions in the left-right direction of the guide rail according to this embodiment. [Figure 10] 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view for explaining the amount of sliding adjustment of a guide rail relative to the axis of a bar material with a non-standard cross section according to the present embodiment. FIG. [Figure 11] 11A is a diagram showing the shape of the feed arrow according to this embodiment, and is a front view of the feed arrow (FIG. 11A), a schematic view showing the feed arrow together with the inner tube and the chuck as viewed from the direction of arrow A (FIG. 11B), and a schematic view of the feed arrow as viewed from the direction of arrow A (FIG. 11C). [Figure 12] 12A is a diagram showing the shape of a feed arrow according to a modified example, and is a front view of the feed arrow (FIG. 12A), a schematic view showing the feed arrow together with an inner tube and a chuck as viewed from the direction of arrow A (FIG. 12B), and a schematic view of the feed arrow as viewed from the direction of arrow A (FIG. 12C). [Figure 13] 13A is a diagram showing the shape of a feed arrow according to a further modified example, and is a front view of the feed arrow (FIG. 13A), a schematic view of the feed arrow as viewed from the direction of arrow A showing an inner tube and a chuck together with the feed arrow (FIG. 13B), and a schematic view of the feed arrow as viewed from the direction of arrow A (FIG. 13C). DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0028] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a bar feeder according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0029] First, the overall configuration of a bar stock feeder according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 4. Figure 1 is a schematic front view of a bar stock feeder according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2 is a schematic top view of a bar stock feeder according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a bar stock transfer device for bars with irregular cross sections according to this embodiment together with guide rails and feed arrows, and Figure 4 is a partially enlarged front view (Figure 4A) seen from the same direction as Figure 1 and a schematic view (Figure 4B) seen from the processing machine side, showing the bar stock guiding device according to this embodiment.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a bar material feeder according to an embodiment of the present invention, and this bar material feeder (hereinafter referred to as feeder) 1 is a bar material feeder that feeds bar material with an irregular cross-section (hereinafter also referred to as "irregularly shaped material") 8 to a chuck 6 of a main shaft portion 4 of a bar material processing machine (hereinafter referred to as processing machine) 2.

[0031] The spindle section 4 of the processing machine 2 includes a spindle 10 and an inner tube 12. The chuck 6 is attached to the spindle 10 and rotates at the same rotational speed as the spindle 10. In the processing machine 2, the chuck 6 is a typical chuck that is conventionally known, and many types of chucks are provided. Although the feeder 1 according to the present embodiment is applied to the processing machine 2 of a fixed spindle type, as a modified example, it may be applied to a bar processing machine of a movable spindle type.

[0032] Here, the bar supplied by the bar supplying machine 1 of this embodiment will be described. In this embodiment, "rod stock with an irregular cross section" and "irregular shaped material" refer to, for example, rod stock with a polygonal cross section having four or more sides that are formed symmetrically (point symmetrically) about the axis when viewed in cross section, such as a square or rectangular cross section (see, for example, irregular shaped material 8 in Figures 6 and 7 described below), or rod stock with a polygonal cross section having three or more sides that are asymmetrical (not point symmetric) about the axis (see, for example, irregular shaped material 8 in Figure 5 described below). Moreover, the "axis center" is the so-called "centroid" of the cross-sectional shape, and coincides with the "center of gravity" since the bar is made of the same material. In this embodiment, the processing machine 2 rotates and processes the deformed material 8, so that the above-mentioned chuck 6 holds the deformed material 8 so that it rotates around the axis, which is the center of gravity. The axis center of the deformed material 8 is indicated by the symbol C in each of the figures (e.g., Figs. 3, 10, etc.) described later.

[0033] In this embodiment, the shaped material 8 has a cross-sectional width of 20 mm to 40 mm and a length of 1200 mm, for example. The length of the shaped material 8 is set to a length that can be accommodated in the spindle 10, and is set to a length that can be fully handed over to the spindle 10 and does not leave the rear part of the shaped material 8 in the feeder 1. The length of the shaped material 8 is not limited to 1200 mm, and may be any length that can be accommodated in the spindle 10, such as 300 mm to 1200 mm. In addition, by setting the length of the shaped material 8 to be equal to or less than the spindle length in this way, it is possible to prevent the shaped material 8 from interfering with the guide rail 18, which will be described later, when the chucked shaped material 8 is rotated during processing.

[0034] Next, the feed rod and the primary slider for feeding the profiled material 8 to the spindle 10 will be described with reference to FIGS. First, as shown in Fig. 1, the feeder 1 includes a feed arrow (feed member) 14 for feeding the deformed material 8 to the chuck 6 of the spindle 10. When in use, the feed arrow 14 is moved from an upper standby position (see Fig. 3) as shown in Fig. 1 to a lowered position (use position) coaxial with the axis CA of the spindle 10 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The feed arrow 14 is driven by an endless chain (not shown) or the like, and is movable along the axis CA, and pushes the rear end of the deformed material 8 placed on a guide rail 18 in an elevated position (described later), thereby feeding the deformed material 8 toward the spindle 10 and its chuck 6.

[0035] The fed profile material 8 passes through the interior of the inner tube 12 and is pushed into the chuck 6. The feed arrow 14 operates, for example, to feed the profile material 8 to a position where it is gripped by the chuck 6, or to push out the profile material 8 cut by a predetermined cutter of the processing machine 2 after processing. Furthermore, the feed arrow 14 operates so that the profile material 8 protrudes from the chuck 6 (in the direction of the axis CA) by a predetermined processing length.

[0036] In Fig. 1, the feed arrow in the forward position in such a case is indicated by the reference symbol 14f, and in this example, the tip of the feed arrow 14 (14f) is in the same position as the tip of the chuck 6. In Fig. 1, the feed arrow 14f is drawn above the processing machine 2 to make the position of the feed arrow 14f easy to understand, but in reality, it is disposed on the axis CA of the spindle 10, as shown by the two-dot chain line.

[0037] On the other hand, as shown in Fig. 2, a primary feed slider 16 for feeding the shaped material 8 is provided on the rear side (downstream side) of the guide rail 18 in the raised position described below. This primary feed slider 16 has the role of pushing the rear end of the shaped material 8 at the raised position of the guide rail 18, and pushing the front end of the shaped material 8 to the rear end or middle part of the interior pipe 12 of the main shaft 10. That is, in the feeder 1 of this embodiment, first, the shaped material 8 is fed by the primary feed slider 16, and then the shaped material 8 is fed as described above by the feed arrow 14 moved to the lowered position described above.

[0038] More specifically, the feeder 1 supplies the profiled material 8 to the guide rail 18 by the bar material transfer device 22 described later, and then first feeds the profiled material 8 by the primary feed slider 16. The feeder 1 then feeds the profiled material 8 to the chuck 6 of the spindle 10 by the feed arrow 14. The feeder 1 is provided with a sensor (not shown) that detects the position of the tip of the profiled material 8. When the feeder 1 feeds the profiled material 8 by the primary feed slider 16 after the bar material transfer device 22 supplies the profiled material 8 to the guide rail 18, the feeder 1 detects the position of the tip of the profiled material 8 by the above-mentioned sensor, and detects the moving distance of the profiled material 8 (the distance fed by the primary feed slider 16) based on this detection value. Then, the feeder 1 sets the pair of guide blocks 28 to the closed position after the profiled material 8 has been moved a predetermined distance by the primary feed slider 16. This predetermined distance is set so that, after the leading end of the profiled material 8 is inserted into the guide holes 29 of a pair of guide blocks 28 of a guiding device 26 described later, the pair of guide blocks 28 are placed in a closed position to prevent the leading end of the profiled material 8 being fed from colliding with or interfering with the guide blocks 28. This predetermined distance is variable and is changed appropriately (according to the length of the profiled material 8, etc.) so that the leading end of the profiled material 8 being fed does not collide with or interfere with the guide blocks 28. Such an operation is performed, for example, by a control device (not shown) that controls the operation of an actuator 30 described later, and the predetermined distance can also be set by such a control device.

[0039] In this embodiment, the shaped material 8 is fed in two stages by the primary feed slider 16 and the feed arrow 14. This limits the length of the feed arrow 14 to a predetermined length, thereby limiting the space that the feed arrow 14 occupies in the feeder 1. The tip of the primary feed slider 16 has a cross-sectional shape that does not interfere with the guide rail 18 and abuts against the rear end of the shaped material 8 (see Figures 3, 8, etc.). This primary feed slider 16 can be appropriately replaced to match the cross-sectional shape of the shaped material 8.

[0040] Next, with reference to Figures 2 and 3, a guide rail on which the deformed material 8 is placed and which guides the deformed material 8 in the axial direction of the main shaft 10, and a bar transfer device which transfers the deformed material to the guide rail will be described. First, as shown in Fig. 2, the guide rail (rail member) 18 extends in the longitudinal direction of the feeder 1 and is provided so as to extend coaxially with the axis CA of the main shaft 10. As shown in Fig. 3, the guide rail 18 has a V-shaped cross section, and the upwardly opening V-shaped portion holds the shaped material 8 in a predetermined orientation. The guide rail 18 is configured to be movable up and down between a lowered position (not shown) and a raised position shown in Fig. 3 by a lifting member 20 having a known guide rail lifting mechanism (not shown). Note that Fig. 3 shows the guide rail 18 in the raised position, and the lowered position is omitted.

[0041] 2 and 3, the feeder 1 is provided with a bar material transfer device 22. The bar material transfer device 22 is provided with a holding mechanism 24 that extends obliquely upward and holds a plurality of deformed materials 8, and when one deformed material 8 is transferred to the guide rail 18, one of the plurality of deformed materials 8 slides downward by its own weight.

[0042] More specifically, when the guide rail 18 moves to a lowered position (not shown), the profile 8a (shown in dashed line) rests on the inclined upper edge slope 20a provided on the lifting member 20, and at that time, the remaining multiple profile materials 8 slide downward. Thereafter, when the guide rail 18 moves to the raised position shown in Figure 3, the profiled material 8b (shown by a dotted line) placed on the upper edge inclined portion 20a of the lifting member 20 slides downward along the inclined surface of the upper edge inclined portion 20a due to its own weight, and is transferred to a predetermined position on the guide rail 18 (for example, a position downstream of the guide rail 18).

[0043] Here, as shown in FIG. 3, the guide rail 18 is formed in a V-shaped cross section that opens upward, and in the illustrated example, the V-shape opens at an angle of 120 degrees. As is clear from each figure, this 120-degree angle is capable of handling many types of deformed materials 8. On the other hand, for example, when the deformed material 8 has a cross section portion formed at 90 degrees (a portion where two sides of the deformed cross section extend at an angle of 90 degrees to each other), the opening angle of the V-shape of the guide rail 18 may be set to 90 degrees to improve the seating of the deformed material 8 on the guide rail 18 and prevent the orientation of the deformed material 8 from shifting when viewed in the direction of the axis CA. Similarly, when the deformed material has a different angle portion, the angle of the V-shape may be adjusted to such an angle. Based on the above-mentioned idea, in the supplying machine 1, the guide rail 18 is configured so that the V-shaped cross section opening upward can be replaced with one having an opening angle of, for example, any between 90 and 120 degrees. Furthermore, the cross-sectional shape of the guide rail 18 is not limited to a V-shape, and a shape corresponding to the cross-sectional shape of the shaped material 8 can be adopted, for example, a cross-sectional shape having three sides with the apex of the V-shape being a flat surface, or a polygonal shape.

[0044] Next, a bar guide device provided for a profiled bar will be described with reference to Figs. First, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, a bar guide device (guide device) 26 that guides the fed shaped material 8 is provided on the tip / upstream side of the guide rail 18. More specifically, the bar guide device 26 is provided between the tip of the guide rail 18 and the rear end of the interior tube 12 of the spindle 10 (the rear end of the spindle 10). Hereinafter, this bar guide device 26 will also be referred to as a guide device 26.

[0045] The guide device 26 is a device provided to guide the deformed material 8 when the deformed material 8 is fed and to suppress fluctuations in the position of the axis C of the deformed material 8. In particular, unlike round materials, the deformed material 8 is prone to interference with the inner pipe 12, the chuck 6, etc. when its posture (orientation) changes as viewed from the direction of its axis C. Therefore, the guide device 26 is provided to suppress such interference. The guide device 26 is also a device for reliably aligning the axis C of the deformed material 8 with the axis CA of the chuck 6.

[0046] 4A and 4B, guide device 26 has a pair of guide blocks 28, an actuator 30 that drives the pair of guide blocks 28, and a member 31 for mounting guide device 26 to feeder 1. Actuator 30 is, for example, an air cylinder, but other types such as electric or hydraulic may also be used.

[0047] In this embodiment, the pair of guide blocks 28 are provided above and below the shaped material 8. The pair of guide blocks 28 can be opened and closed by an actuator 30 between an open state (see, for example, FIG. 5B, etc.) for feeding the next shaped material 8 after a predetermined processing and a closed state (see, for example, FIG. 5A, etc.) for guiding the shaped material 8 being fed, as described below.

[0048] Each of the pair of guide blocks 28 is a block having a predetermined length (longitudinal length) in the direction of the axis CA, as shown in Fig. 4A. Each of the guide blocks 28 has a rectangular recessed groove 28a extending in the longitudinal direction thereof and aligned with the shape of the deformed material 8.

[0049] Next, the guide hole and the gap formed by the rectangular recessed groove 28a of the guide block 28 of the bar guiding device 26 will be described in detail with reference to Fig. 5 to Fig. 7. Fig. 5 shows the bar guiding device according to this embodiment together with an example of a non-circular cross-section bar, Fig. 5A is a cross-sectional view of the guide block in a closed state, Fig. 5B is a cross-sectional view of the guide block in an open state, Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 of a bar with a square cross-section, Fig. 6A is a cross-sectional view of the guide block in a closed state, Fig. 6B is a cross-sectional view of the guide block in an open state, Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 5 of a bar with a rectangular cross-section, Fig. 8A is a cross-sectional view of the guide block in a closed state, and Fig. 8B is a cross-sectional view of the guide block in an open state.

[0050] As described above, the guide blocks 28 can be opened and closed, and in this embodiment, when the pair of guide blocks 28 are in a closed state, the upper and lower recessed grooves 28a form guide holes (irregular guide holes) 29 (see Figs. 5A, 6A, and 7A). Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in enlarged partial views in Figs. 5A, 6A, and 7A, the guide holes 29 are formed with a predetermined gap S between each recessed groove 28a and each side 8s of the irregularly shaped material 8.

[0051] More specifically, for example, Fig. 5 shows a profiled material 8 having a total of six sides. The pair of guide blocks 28 sandwich the profiled material 8 from above and below from the open state shown in Fig. 5B, and enter the closed state shown in Fig. 5A. In this closed state, a profiled guide hole 29 is formed in the guide device 26 by each of the recessed grooves 28a of the pair of guide blocks 28.

[0052] Furthermore, in the closed state shown in FIG. 5A, as shown in an enlarged view of a portion thereof, a gap S is formed between the recessed groove 28a of the guide block 28 and the side 8s of the profiled material 8. In this embodiment, the gap S is set to be in the range of 0.1 mm to 0.8 mm. Moreover, the gap S is preferably set to be in the range of 0.2 mm to 0.6 mm. Similarly, the gap S is formed between the recessed groove 28a and the side of the profiled material 8 for the other five sides of the profiled material 8. Moreover, for the profiled material 8 having a square cross section shown in FIG. 6 and the profiled material 8 having a rectangular cross section shown in FIG. 7, similar gaps S are formed for each side when the guide block 28 is in the closed state.

[0053] In this embodiment, the guide hole 29 having such a gap S serves to suppress interference with the inner pipe 12, the chuck 6, etc., while ensuring that the axis C of the shaped material 8 is aligned with the axis CA of the chuck 6.

[0054] Here, since the deformed material 8 is a rod material, it may be slightly bent, and in this case, when the deformed material 8 is fed by the feed arrow 14, the position of the deformed material 8 in the up, down, left and right directions may shift, and its tip may hit the guide block 28. Therefore, in this embodiment, before the deformed material 8 is inserted (before it passes through), the guide block 28 is kept in the open state, and then, when the deformed material 8 is inserted into the guide hole 29 of the guide block 28, the guide block 28 is set in the closed position to guide the deformed material 8.

[0055] Next, further functions of the guide rail 18 for irregularly shaped materials according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 8 to 10. Figure 8 is a schematic diagram showing a mechanism for adjusting the position of the guide rail in the left-right direction according to this embodiment, as seen from the processing machine side, Figures 9A and 9B are schematic diagrams similar to Figure 8, showing examples of the sliding positions of the guide rail in the left-right direction according to this embodiment, and Figure 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view for explaining the amount of sliding adjustment of the guide rail relative to the axis of a bar material with an irregular cross section according to this embodiment, as seen from the processing machine side.

[0056] First, the mechanism for adjusting the position of the guide rail 18 in the left-right direction will be described with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9, the lifting member 20 of the guide rail 18 is provided with a left-right position adjustment mechanism 32 for adjusting the lifting member 20 in the left-right direction when viewed from the direction of the axis CA. The adjustment mechanism 32 mainly has a bolt 32a, a nut 32b, and a fixed member 34 fixed to a predetermined position of the feeder 1, and the bolt 32a is rotatably attached to the fixed member 34, and the nut 32b is attached to the lifting member 20.

[0057] 9A and 9B, as can be seen from the difference in the representative position L of the guide rail indicated by the two-dot chain line, when the bolt 32a is rotated, the position of the nut 32b shifts left and right due to the interaction between the bolt and the nut, and accordingly the lifting member 20 and its guide rail 18 also move left and right in the LR direction. Note that in this example, as shown in FIG. 8, the rotation (R) is performed manually using a hexagonal wrench 33, but it may also be rotated automatically using a known mechanism.

[0058] Next, with reference to FIG. 10, the reason why the guide rail 18 needs to be adjusted in the left-right direction in this embodiment and the amount of adjustment in the left-right direction will be described. As shown in FIG. 10, the position of the axis C of each deformed material 8 (indicated by a two-dot chain line LC) differs with respect to the V-shaped position of the guide rail 18 (a representative position of the apex of the V is indicated by a two-dot chain line L). In order to rotate the deformed material 8 around its axis C for machining, the axis C of the deformed material 8 must be aligned with the axis CA of the spindle 10 and the chuck 6. Therefore, in addition to the above-mentioned known movement of the guide rail 18 in the up-down direction (up-down direction with respect to the axis CA), the position of the deformed material 8 must also be adjusted in the left-right direction (left-right direction with respect to the axis CA).

[0059] In FIG. 10, the axis C of the six-sided profile 8 shown at the top of the figure is aligned with the processing center. If the profile 8 is changed to the square cross-sectional profile 8 shown in the middle of the figure, the guide rail 18 needs to be shifted to the right by the distance D1 (e.g., 2.4 mm) shown in FIG. 10. Furthermore, if the square cross-sectional profile 8 is changed to the rectangular cross-sectional profile 8 shown at the bottom of the figure, the guide rail 18 needs to be shifted to the left by the distance D2 (e.g., 3.5 mm) shown in FIG. 10. Also, if the topmost profile 8 (six-sided profile) is changed to the bottommost profile 8 (rectangular cross-sectional profile), it can be understood that the guide rail 18 needs to be shifted to the left by 1.1 mm in the above-mentioned numerical example. In this way, in the present invention, the position of the guide rail 18 in the left-right direction can be adjusted in order to process the deformed material 8.

[0060] Next, the shape of the feed arrow 14 of the present embodiment and the shape of the feed arrow 14 according to a modification will be described with reference to Figures 11 to 13. Figure 11 shows the shape of the feed arrow according to this embodiment, Figure 11A is a front view of the feed arrow seen from the same direction as Figure 1, Figure 11B is a schematic view of the feed arrow together with the interior tube and the chuck seen from the direction of the spindle side indicated by the arrow A, Figure 11C is a schematic view of the tip of the feed arrow similarly seen from the direction of the arrow A, Figure 12 shows the shape of the feed arrow according to a modification of this embodiment, Figure 12A is a front view of the feed arrow seen from the same direction as Figure 1, Figure 12B is a schematic view of the feed arrow seen from the direction of the spindle side indicated by the arrow A, FIG. 12C is a schematic diagram showing the inner tube and chuck together with the feed arrow, similarly viewed from the direction of arrow A; FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the shape of a feed arrow according to a further modified example of this embodiment; FIG. 13A is a front view of the feed arrow, similarly viewed from the same direction as FIG. 1; FIG. 13B is a schematic diagram showing the inner tube and chuck together with the feed arrow, similarly viewed from the direction of arrow A; and FIG. 13C is a schematic diagram of the tip of the feed arrow, similarly viewed from the direction of arrow A.

[0061] First, Fig. 11 shows an example in which the inner shape of the inner tube 12 is formed so as to be able to accommodate the feed rod 14 having a circular cross section, and the bar gripping portion of the chuck 6 has an inner diameter that does not interfere with the feed rod 14 having a circular cross section. In Fig. 11A, the reference symbol 6 indicates the width of the chuck 6 for the sake of convenience. 11A and 11C, at least the portion of the feed arrow 14 that is inserted into the internal tube 12 (shown by a two-dot chain line) of the spindle 10 and the tip portion that is inserted into the chuck 6 are both made of a round bar with a circular cross section. As shown in FIG. 11B, the tip portion is capable of pushing out the shaped material 8.

[0062] Next, Fig. 12 shows an example in which the bar gripping portion of the chuck 6 has a shape similar to that of the deformed material 8. In Fig. 12A, reference numeral 6 indicates the width of the chuck 6. Although not shown in Fig. 12B, the chuck 6 uses a chuck whose division number, shape and position match the cross-sectional shape of the deformed material 8, thereby enveloping and holding the deformed material 8.

[0063] In such a case, as can be seen from Figures 12A and 12C, the tip 14a of the feed arrow 14, which is inserted into the bar gripping portion of the chuck 6, is formed in a shape similar to the cross-sectional shape of the shaped material 8, so as not to interfere with the chuck 6. Also, the portion of the feed arrow 14, which is inserted into the interior tube 12 of the spindle 10, is made of a round bar with a circular cross-section. And, as shown in Figure 12B, the tip 14a of the irregular shape is capable of pushing out the shaped material 8. In addition, the example of Figure 12 shows an example of the feed rod 14 when an internal tube 12 is provided in the processing machine 2, but the feed rod 14 in this example is also applicable to a case where an internal tube is not provided in the main shaft 10 and the chuck 6 is formed in a shape similar to the cross-sectional shape of the shaped material 8.

[0064] In particular, in the example of FIG. 12, after the processing of a certain special-shaped material 8 is completed, the spindle 10 is set to stop rotating at a certain stop position (reference stop position) in the processing machine 2. Then, on the supplying machine 1 side, the orientation of the special-shaped cross section of the guide hole 29 formed in the above-mentioned guide block 28 is preset so as to match the orientation of the cross-sectional shape of the chuck 6 at the above-mentioned stop position of the spindle 10. In this way, in this example, the special-shaped material 8 fed by the feed arrow 14 and guided by the guide hole 29 is prevented from interfering (colliding) with the chuck 6. In other words, for example, when the spindle 10 is stopped when replacing the special-shaped material 8, the orientation of the special-shaped cross section of the special-shaped material 8 fed next is set to match the orientation of the special-shaped cross section of the chuck 6 when the spindle is stopped.

[0065] Next, Fig. 13 shows an example in which the internal shape of the inner pipe 12 is formed similar to the cross-sectional shape of the shaped material 8, and the bar gripping portion of the chuck 6 has a shape similar to that of the shaped material 8. In Fig. 13A, reference numeral 6 indicates the width of the chuck 6 as viewed from the same direction as in Fig. 1. Although not shown in Fig. 13B, the chuck 6 uses a chuck with a division number, shape and position that are matched to the cross-section of the shaped material 8, thereby enveloping and holding the shaped material 8.

[0066] In such a case, as can be seen from Figures 13A and 13C, both the portion of the feed arrow 14 that is inserted into the inner tube 12 and the portion that is inserted into the bar gripping portion of the chuck 6 are formed in a shape similar to the cross-sectional shape of the shaped material 8, thereby preventing interference with the inner tube 12 and the chuck 6. Then, as shown in Figure 13B, the shaped tip of the feed arrow 14 is capable of pushing out the shaped material 8.

[0067] 13, similarly to the example of FIG. 12, the spindle 10 is determined to stop rotating at a fixed stop position (reference stop position). Also in this example, the orientation of the irregular cross section of the guide hole 29 formed in the guide block 28 is determined in advance to match the orientation of the irregular cross section of the chuck 6 at the stop position of the spindle 10. In this way, in this example, the irregular shaped material 8 fed by the feed arrow 14 and guided by the guide hole 29 is prevented from interfering with (colliding with) the inner tube 12 and the chuck 6.

[0068] Next, the effects of the bar feeder 1 according to the embodiment and the modified example of the present invention will be described. First, according to this embodiment and its modified examples, the bar stock supplying machine 1 is a supplying machine 1 that supplies a deformed material (bar stock with an irregular cross section) 8 to a chuck 6 provided on the main shaft 10 of a bar stock processing machine 2, and is equipped with a guide rail (feed member) 18 on which the deformed material 8 is placed and which guides the deformed material 8 in the axial direction CA of the main shaft 10, and a feed arrow (feed member) 14 that is arranged to be movable in the axial direction CA of the main shaft 10 and feeds the deformed material 8 placed on the guide rail 18 toward the main shaft 10, and is characterized in that the position of the guide rail 18 can be adjusted in the vertical and horizontal directions when viewed in the axial direction (CA) so that the axis C of the deformed material 8 is positioned coaxially with the axis CA of the main shaft 10.

[0069] According to the present embodiment and the modified example configured in this manner, the guide rail 18 can be adjusted in the vertical and horizontal directions so that the axis C of the deformed material 8 is positioned coaxially with the axis CA of the main shaft 10. Therefore, the deformed material 8 can be reliably positioned coaxially with the axis CA of the main shaft 10 of the processing machine 2 and can be stably supplied to the processing machine 2.

[0070] In addition, according to this embodiment and its modified example, there is further provided a bar guide device / guide device (guide device) 26 that is provided between the guide rail 18 and the main shaft 10 and guides the shaped material 8 fed by the feed arrow 14, and the guide device 26 guides the shaped material 8 fed by the feed arrow 14 through a guide hole (different shaped guide hole) 29. According to the present embodiment and the modified example configured in this manner, the guide device 26 guides the deformed material 8 fed by the feed arrow 14 through the guide hole 29, so that the deformed material 8 can be reliably positioned coaxially with the axis CA of the main spindle 10 of the processing machine 2 and can be stably supplied to the processing machine 2.

[0071] Furthermore, according to this embodiment and the modified example, the guide rail 18 is formed to guide the profiled material 8 in the axial direction (CA) of the spindle 10 while maintaining the profiled material 8 in a constant orientation when viewed in the axial direction CA. According to this embodiment and its modified example configured in this manner, the specially shaped material 8 can be more reliably positioned coaxially with the axis CA of the main spindle 10 of the processing machine 2, and can be stably supplied to the processing machine 2.

[0072] Furthermore, according to this embodiment and its modified examples, the guide rail 18 is formed with a V-shaped cross section that opens upward, so that the deformed material 8 can be more reliably positioned coaxially with the axis CA of the spindle 10 of the processing machine 2 and can be stably supplied to the processing machine 2. Note that in this embodiment and its modified examples, if the V-shaped cross section is shaped to have an opening angle of, for example, 120 degrees upward, it is possible to more effectively position various kinds of deformed material 8 reliably coaxially with the axis CA of the spindle 10 of the processing machine 2 and can be stably supplied to the processing machine 2.

[0073] According to the present embodiment and the modified example, the guide rail 18 formed in a V-shaped cross section has an opening angle of 90 to 120 degrees upward in a cross-sectional view. Therefore, if the V-shaped cross section is shaped to have an opening angle of, for example, 90 degrees upward, a deformed material 8 having a square cross section, a rectangular cross section, or a cross section formed at 90 degrees can be stably placed on the guide rail 18, and the deformed material 8 can be more reliably positioned coaxially with the axis CA of the spindle 10 of the processing machine 2 and can be stably supplied to the processing machine 2. If the V-shaped cross section is shaped to have an opening angle of, for example, 120 degrees upward, versatility is improved, and various kinds of deformed materials 8 can be more effectively positioned coaxially with the axis CA of the spindle 10 of the processing machine 2 and can be stably supplied to the processing machine 2.

[0074] Furthermore, according to this embodiment and its modified example, the guide hole 29 of the guide device 26 has the same shape as the cross-sectional shape of the deformed material 8, so that the deformed material 8 can be more reliably positioned coaxially with the axis CA of the main spindle 10 of the processing machine 2 and can be stably supplied to the processing machine 2.

[0075] Furthermore, according to this embodiment and its modified example, the guide device 26 has a pair of guide blocks (block members) 28, which are configured to be movable between an open position in which they are separated from each other and a closed position in which they approach each other, and when the pair of guide blocks 28 are in the closed position, a guide hole 29 is formed. According to the present embodiment and the modified example configured in this manner, for example, after machining a bar 8, when the next bar is fed to the spindle 10, the pair of guide blocks 28 are set in the open position to prevent the tip of the bar 8 being fed from colliding with or interfering with the guide blocks 28, and when the bar 8 passes through the guide device 26, the pair of guide blocks 28 are set in the closed position to form a guide hole 29, thereby making it possible to more effectively guide the bar 8.

[0076] According to the present embodiment and the modified example, the guide hole 29 of the guide device 26 has the same shape as the cross-sectional shape of the deformed material 8, and the guide hole 29 is formed to have a predetermined gap S (for example, 0.1 mm to 0.8 mm) with respect to each side 8s of the deformed material 8 when the pair of guide blocks 28 are in the closed position, so that the guide hole 29 can stably guide the deformed material 8 without interfering with the feeding of the deformed material 8. That is, for example, if the gap S is less than 0.1 mm, friction occurs between the guide hole 29 and the bar material 8 being fed, or the guide hole 29 may completely grip the bar material 8 and interfere with the feeding. Also, for example, if the gap S exceeds 0.8 mm, there is a risk that the axis C of the bar material 8 may be significantly deviated from the desired position (a position coaxial with the axis CA), and the bar material 8 may not be reliably guided.

[0077] Furthermore, according to this embodiment and its modified example, the pair of guide blocks 28 of the guide device 26 are replaceable, and guide holes 29 having a predetermined gap S (for example, 0.1 mm to 0.8 mm) are formed for each side 8s of the bar stock 8 having different cross-sectional shapes, so that the bar stock supplying machine 1 can be used as a supplying machine for supplying a wide variety of deformed materials 8, and all of the wide variety of deformed materials 8 can be stably supplied to the processing machine 2.

[0078] In addition, according to this embodiment and its modified example, the feed arrow 14 is a feed arrow (feed arrow member) that pushes the rear end of the shaped material 8 and feeds the tip of the bar 8 to the chuck 6 of the spindle 10, and the bar feeder 1 further includes a primary feed slider (slider member) 16 that pushes the rear end of the shaped material 8 and feeds the tip of the bar 8 to the rear end or middle portion of the spindle 10, and after feeding the shaped material 8 by the primary feed slider, the bar feeder feeds the shaped material 8 to the chuck 6 of the spindle 10 by the feed arrow 14. According to this embodiment and the modified example configured in this manner, the bar stock 8 is fed in two stages by the primary feed slider 17 and the feed arrow 14. Therefore, compared to the case where the bar stock 8 is fed by only the feed arrow (14), the length of the feed arrow 14 can be restricted to a predetermined length, thereby reducing the space it occupies in the bar stock feeder 1.

[0079] According to this embodiment and the modified example, a guide device 26 is provided between the guide rail 18 and the main shaft 10 to guide the deformed material 8 fed by the feed arrow 14. The guide device 26 has a pair of guide blocks 28. The pair of guide blocks 28 are configured to be movable between an open position in which they are separated from each other and a closed position in which they approach each other. When the pair of guide blocks 28 are in the closed position, a guide hole (deformed guide hole) 29 is formed, whereby the deformed material 8 fed by the feed arrow 14 is guided by the guide device 26. The feeder 1 is provided with a primary feed slider (slider member) 16 that pushes the rear end of the shaped material 8 to feed the leading end of the shaped material 8 to the rear end or middle part of the spindle 10, and the feeder 1 supplies the shaped material 8 to the guide rail 18, and then first feeds it by the primary feed slider 16, and then feeds it to the chuck 6 of the spindle 10 by the feeder 14. The feeder 1 supplies the shaped material 8 to the guide rail 18, and then first feeds it by the primary feed slider 16, and then feeds it to the chuck 6 of the spindle 10 by the feeder 14. The feeder 1 supplies the shaped material 8 to the guide rail 18, and then first feeds it by the primary feed slider 16, and then feeds it to the chuck 6 of the spindle 10 by the feeder 14. The feeder 1 is configured such that when the shaped material 8 is supplied to the guide rail 18 and then fed by the primary feed slider 16, the pair of guide blocks 28 of the guiding device 26 are placed in the closed position after the detected tip of the shaped material 8 has moved a predetermined distance, so that the predetermined distance can be set variably (the predetermined movement distance can be changed to a predetermined value). According to the present invention configured in this manner, for example, after a certain shaped material 8 has been machined, when the next shaped material 8 is fed to the main shaft 10, the shaped material 8 can be more reliably and effectively positioned coaxially with the axis CA of the main shaft 10 of the processing machine 2, and can be stably supplied to the processing machine 2.

[0080] In addition, according to this embodiment and its modified examples, the tip portion of the primary feed slider 16 has a cross-sectional shape that does not interfere with the guide rail 18 and abuts the rear end of the shaped material 8, and the primary feed slider 16 is replaceable to match the cross-sectional shape of the shaped material, so that the shaped material can be stably supplied to the processing machine 2 more reliably and effectively.

[0081] In addition, according to this embodiment and its modified example, the feed arrow 14 is a feed arrow (feed arrow member) that pushes the rear end of the shaped material 8 and feeds the tip end of the bar 8 to the chuck 6 of the spindle 10, and the cross-sectional shape of the gripping portion of the chuck 6 of the spindle 10 is formed to be the same as that of the shaped material 8, and the cross-sectional shape of at least the tip end 14a of the feed arrow 14, which is inserted into the gripping portion of the chuck 6, is formed to be the same as that of the shaped material 8. According to this embodiment and its modified examples configured in this manner, when a chuck 6 having an irregularly shaped gripping portion is used in the processing machine 2, the irregularly shaped material 8 before processing (before chucking) can be more reliably fed into the chuck 6, or the bar material 8 after processing can be pushed out of the chuck 6.

[0082] Furthermore, according to this embodiment and its modified example, the spindle 10 is provided with an inner tube 12 having the same internal shape as the shaped material 8, and the feed rod 14 has a cross-sectional shape at the portion inserted into the inner tube 12 that is formed to be the same as the shaped material 8. Therefore, when an inner tube 12 having an irregular internal shape is used in the processing machine 2, the shaped material 8 can be more reliably fed into the chuck 6.

[0083] Furthermore, according to this embodiment and its modified examples, the bar feeder 1 is configured to be interchangeable between a feeder 14 (Figures 12 and 13) in which the cross-sectional shape of the tip 14a and / or the cross-sectional shape of the portion inserted into the inner pipe 12 is formed to be the same as that of the shaped material 8, and a feeder 14 (Figure 11) in which the cross-sectional shape of the tip is formed to be circular. Therefore, the bar feeder 1 can be used as a feeder that supplies a variety of shaped materials 8, and can stably supply all of the various types of shaped materials 8 to the processing machine 2.

[0084] Furthermore, according to this embodiment and its modified example, the cross-sectional shape of the gripping portion of the chuck 6 of the spindle 10 is formed to be the same as that of the shaped material 8, and when a reference stop position for the rotation of the spindle 10 is determined in the processing machine 2, the orientation of the shaped cross section of the guide hole 29 of the guide device 26 is determined to match the orientation of the shaped cross section of the chuck 6 at the reference stop position. According to the present embodiment and the modified example configured as described above, for example, after a predetermined machining of a certain bar 8 is completed, when the rotation of the spindle 10 is stopped and the next bar 8 is fed by the feed arrow 14, the irregularly shaped material 8 can be fed more reliably to the chuck 6 of the spindle 10. That is, since the bar 8 has an irregular cross section, the fed bar 8 is likely to interfere with (clash with) the chuck 6, but according to the present embodiment and the modified example, when the spindle 10 is stopped (when the bar 8 is replaced), the orientation of the irregular cross section of the bar 8 and the orientation of the irregular cross section of the chuck 6 are aligned, so that such interference can be suppressed.

[0085] Furthermore, according to this embodiment and the modified example, the spindle 10 is provided with an inner pipe 12 having the same internal shape as the shaped material 8, and when a reference stop position for the rotation of the spindle 10 is determined in the processing machine 2, the orientation of the shaped cross section of the guide hole 29 of the guide device 26 is determined to match the orientation of the shaped cross section of the inner pipe 12 at the reference stop position. According to the present embodiment and the modified example configured as described above, for example, after a predetermined machining of a certain bar material 8 is completed, when the rotation of the spindle 10 is stopped and the next bar material 8 is fed by the feed arrow 14, the irregularly shaped material 8 can be fed more reliably to the chuck 6 of the spindle 10. That is, since the bar material 8 has an irregular cross section, the fed bar material 8 is likely to interfere (clash) with the inner tube 12, but according to the present embodiment and the modified example, when the spindle 10 is stopped (when the bar material is replaced), the orientation of the irregular cross section of the bar material 8 and the orientation of the irregular cross section of the chuck 6 are aligned, so that such interference can be suppressed.

[0086] In addition, according to this embodiment and its modified examples, a bar material transfer device 22 is provided for transferring the shaped material 8 onto the guide rail 18, and the guide rail 18 is provided on a lifting member 20 which moves the guide rail 18 to a predetermined lowered position and a predetermined raised position. The shaped material 8 held by the bar material transfer device 22 is transferred to the lifting member 20 which is in the lowered position, and when the lifting member 20 moves to the raised position, the shaped material 8 which had once been transferred to the lifting member 20 slides under its own weight and is handed over to the guide rail 18. According to this embodiment and the modified example configured in this manner, unlike bar material such as round material that rolls easily, the irregularly shaped material 8 (which does not roll easily) can be effectively placed on the guide rail 18. [Explanation of symbols]

[0087] 1 Bar feeder 2 Bar processing machine 4 Main shaft 6 Chuck 8. Bars and materials with irregular cross sections 8a, 8b Profiles in waiting / temporary holding positions 8s Prescribed side of profile 10 spindle 12 Internal pipe 14 Feed shaft (feed member) 14a Tip of the feed arrow 14f. Feed shaft (feed member) in forward position 16 Primary feed slider (slider member) 18 Guide rail (rail component) 20 Lifting members 20a Upper edge inclined part 22 Bar material transfer device 26 Bar guide device / Guide device (Guide device) 28 Guide block (block member) 28a Rectangular groove (bar guide part) 29 Guide hole (irregular guide hole) 32 Guide rail left / right adjustment mechanism CA Spindle axis C Axial center of profile S Gap between guide hole and profile L Representative position of the guide rail in the left-right direction LC: Lateral position of the axis of the profile

Claims

1. A bar material feeder that feeds a bar material having a non-circular cross section to a chuck provided on a main shaft of a bar material processing machine, a rail member on which the irregular cross-section bar is placed and which guides the irregular cross-section bar in the axial direction of the spindle; a feed member that is provided movably in the axial direction of the spindle and feeds the irregular cross-section bar material placed on the rail member toward the spindle, A bar feeder characterized in that the rail member can be adjusted in position up and down and left and right when viewed in the axial direction so that the axis of the bar with an irregular cross-section is positioned coaxially with the axis of the main shaft.

2. The feeder further includes a guide device provided between the rail member and the spindle for guiding the irregular cross-section bar material fed by the feed member, 2. The bar feeder according to claim 1, wherein the guide device guides the bar having a non-circular cross section fed by the feed member through a non-circular guide hole.

3. 3. The bar feeder according to claim 1, wherein the rail member is configured to guide the bar having an irregular cross section in the axial direction of the spindle while maintaining the bar in a constant orientation as viewed in the axial direction.

4. 4. The bar feeder according to claim 3, wherein said rail member is formed in a V-shaped cross section that opens upward.

5. 5. The bar feeder according to claim 4, wherein the rail member formed in a V-shaped cross section has an upward opening angle of 90 to 120 degrees in a cross-sectional view.

6. 3. The bar feeder according to claim 2, wherein the irregular guide hole of the guide device has the same shape as a cross-sectional shape of the bar having an irregular cross section.

7. 7. The bar feeder according to claim 2 or 6, wherein the guiding device has a pair of block members which are movable between an open position in which they are separated from each other and a closed position in which they approach each other, and when the pair of block members are in the closed position, the deformed guide hole is formed.

8. The deformed guide hole of the guide device has the same shape as the cross-sectional shape of the deformed cross-section bar material, 8. The bar feeder according to claim 7, wherein the irregular guide hole is formed to have a predetermined gap with respect to each side of the bar having an irregular cross section when the pair of block members are in the closed position.

9. 9. The bar feeder according to claim 8, wherein the pair of block members of the guiding device are replaceable, and special guide holes having the predetermined gaps are formed on each side of the block members for use with bar materials of different cross-sectional shapes.

10. The feed member is a feed arrow member that pushes a rear end of a bar material having a deformed cross section and feeds a front end of the bar material to a chuck of the spindle, The bar feeder further includes a slider member for pushing a rear end of the bar having a deformed cross section and feeding a front end of the bar to a rear end or an intermediate portion of the spindle; 3. The bar feeder according to claim 1, wherein the bar having a irregular cross section is fed by the slider member and then fed to the chuck of the spindle by the feed arrow member.

11. The feeder further includes a guide device provided between the rail member and the spindle for guiding the irregular cross-section bar material fed by the feed member, The guide device has a pair of block members, which are configured to be movable between an open position in which they are separated from each other and a closed position in which they approach each other, and when the pair of block members are in the closed position, a deformed guide hole is formed, thereby guiding the deformed cross-section bar material fed by the feed member, The feed member is a feed arrow member that pushes a rear end of a bar material having a deformed cross section and feeds a front end of the bar material to a chuck of the spindle, The bar feeder further includes a slider member for pushing a rear end of the bar having a deformed cross section and feeding a front end of the bar to a rear end or an intermediate portion of the spindle; The bar feeder feeds the bar having a irregular cross section to the rail member, and then feeds the bar by the slider member and then to the chuck of the spindle by the feed arrow member.

2. The bar feeder according to claim 1, wherein when a bar having an irregular cross-section is fed to the rail member and then fed by the slider member, the pair of block members of the guiding device are brought to the closed position after the tip of the detected irregular cross-section bar has moved a predetermined distance, so that the predetermined distance can be variably set.

12. a tip end of the slider member has a cross-sectional shape that does not interfere with the rail member and abuts against a rear end of a bar material having a deformed cross section; 11. The bar feeder according to claim 10, wherein the slider member is replaceable to fit a cross-sectional shape of the bar having an irregular cross-sectional shape.

13. The feed member is a feed arrow member that pushes a rear end of a bar material having a deformed cross section and feeds a front end of the bar material to a chuck of the spindle, The chuck of the spindle has a gripping portion having a cross-sectional shape identical to that of the bar material having a non-circular cross section, 3. The bar feeder according to claim 1, wherein the cross-sectional shape of at least the tip of the feed arrow member that is inserted into the gripping portion of the chuck is formed to be the same as that of the bar having an irregular cross-section.

14. The bar feeder according to claim 13, wherein the feed arrow member has a cross-sectional shape of the tip end and / or a cross-sectional shape of a portion to be inserted into the interior pipe that is formed to be the same as that of the bar having an irregular cross-section, and a feed arrow member has a cross-sectional shape of the tip end that is formed to be circular.

15. The chuck of the spindle has a gripping portion having a cross-sectional shape identical to that of the bar material having a non-circular cross section, 3. The bar feeder according to claim 1, wherein, in the bar processing machine, when a reference stop position for the rotation of the spindle is determined, the orientation of the irregular cross-section of the irregular guide hole of the guiding device is determined to match the orientation of the irregular cross-section of the chuck at the reference stop position.

16. The main shaft is provided with an inner tube having the same internal shape as the bar material having a irregular cross section, 3. The bar feeder according to claim 1, wherein, in the bar processing machine, when a reference stop position for the rotation of the main shaft is determined, a direction of the irregular cross-section of the irregular guide hole of the guiding device is determined to match a direction of the irregular cross-section of the interior pipe at the reference stop position.

17. A bar material transfer device is provided for transferring a bar material having a deformed cross section onto the rail member, the rail member is provided on a rail member holding device that moves the rail member to a predetermined lowered position and a predetermined raised position; 3. A bar material supplying machine as described in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the bar material having an irregular cross section held by the bar material transferring device is transferred to the rail member holding device in the lowered position, and then when the rail member holding device moves to the raised position, the bar material slides under its own weight and is handed over to the rail member.

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